Knockdown adjustable concrete-block machine.



No. 862,521. PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

J. B. STREET.

KNOGKDOWN ADJUSTABLE CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE. APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 14. 1906.

WZ/ZJJGJ ITZVGIZZZOI" JJJWA' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB E. STREET, OF SAN FERNANDO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO RICHARD WILLIAM MARTIN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

KNOCKDOWN ADJUSTABLE CONCRETE-BLOCK MACHINE.

N 0. 862,521. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 6, 1907.

Application filed November 14,1906. Serial No. 3453, 144.

To all whom it may concern: top so that the space between the side pieces tapers Be it known that I, JACOB E. STREET, a citizen of upward, and therefore when a keystone has been the United States, residing at San Fernando, in the formed in the mold the device may be readily withcounty of Los Angeles and State of California, have drawn upward from the block.

5 invented a new and useful Knockdown Adjustable In the preferred form shown, the arms 14 of the side 60 Concrete-Block Machine, of which the following is a pieces are notched on their upper edges, and the arms specification. 15 are notched on their under edges. The section mem- It is of the objects of this invention to provide bers 9 and 10 are adjustable by means of the thumbmcans for rapidly molding concrete blocks for building screws and slots 11, 13 and 12, so that the arms may be 10 arches and other structures, and to knock down, store engaged with the end pieces and thereby held. 65 and transport the machine in the most satisfactory Each of the end pieces 1 may be provided at the botmanner.

tom with two openings 2, 3, spaced apart a distance to Cheapness and simplicity are other objects of the correspond with the required width of one face of the invention; also storage in small space, and a practiblock to be molded, and at the top with two openings cally indestructible construction. Also to provide 6, 7, spaced apart a like distance, and also with two 70 simple and convenient means adapted for molding openings 4, 5, spaced a less distance apart so that the blocks square and tapered in cross-section to form sides 8, 8 may be set at different angles with the base of structural blocks for the side walls, springs and crowns the mold, and blocks of rectangular or of taper crossof arches. section may be made at the will of the operator by sim- The invention may be applied in various forms. I ply adjusting the sides appropriately. 7 shall illustrate and describe it in the form I at present The arms may be notched on their upper or their deem preferable, reserving to myself the right to make lower edges. In the form shown, the upper arms 14 are such changes in form and construction as may be withnotched on their upper edges, and the lower arms 15 in the skill of those versed in the art, Without departare notched on their lower edges. ing from the spirit of the invention. 16 designates handles on the outside of the end mcm- The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention bers for handling the mold. in one form in which it may be embodied. 17, 17, designate partitions formed with shoulders 18 Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention with to [it in the midway notches 1.9 between the ends of parts in position for use for making two short keystones the side members whereby the cavity for holding the 30 of an arch. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same omitting concrete may be divided into two compartments, thus the partition so as to mold a long keystone. Fig. 3 is to form two blocks at one molding. a side elevation of the form shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 In practical operation the mold will be inverted, as is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is a view of shown in Fig. 8, and the concrete or other material to one of the sides collapsed and detached. Fig. 6 is a be molded will be inserted from above and be tamped 35 view of one of the ends detached. Fig. 7 is a section in place. When the block is formed the apparatus will on line :0 Figs. 2 and 3, cutting through the clamps. be lifted off of the block by means of the handles 16 and Fig. 8 is a view of the apparatus in use for making will be placed upon a level space, and thereupon the single-course rectangular blocks. process may be repeated and another block formed, 1 designates end pieces, each provided with a pluand so on. In this way each block is allowed to remain 40 rality of openings which may be in the form of notches exactly where it is formed, and the same should be kept or holes as 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. damp until it has thoroughly set.

8, 8 designate sectional side pieces or members ad- It is to be understood that the inner faces of the end justable as to Width, each comprising two sections 9, pieces and side pieces should be as smooth as possible. 10, slidably connected with each other by clamp By reason of the reduced scale of Fig. 7, the proportions 45 means comprising bolts 11 passing through slots 12 and of the parts are exaggerated for clearness of illustration; fastened by thumb-nuts 13. The sections 9, 10 of the but it is to be understood that in actual practice the side pieces are provided at their opposite ends with inside surfaces of the machine would be made practinotched arms 14, 15 which engage the walls of the Cally smooth so as to shape the block and allow the maopenings 2, 3, and 4, 5, or 6, 7, asthe case may be, chine to be removed therefrom readily without detach- 50 whereby the side pieces may be set at varying angles ing or loosening any of the parts after the block has befor the purpose of producing blocks, the sides of which come set.

may be at one or another determined angle with the By reason of the adjustable side pieces the tops and base. bottoms of said side pieces may be brought flush with 111 the drawings there are openings 2, 3, in the botthe tops and bottoms of the end pieces when said side 55 tom of the end pieces, and openings 4, 5, 6, 7, at the pieces are set aslant, as shown in Fig. 1, and also when set upright as shown in Fig. '8. The form of the mold can readily be changed from square to tapered section and vice versa, by simply loosening the thumb nuts sliding the two parts of each of the side members to draw the tongues of each end closer to each other, thereupon withdrawing the tongues from the openers 4 and 5, and inserting them in the openings 6 and 7 to change from taper to square cross section and vice versa.

What I claim is:

1. A concrete block machine comprising end pieces and side pieces the latter being adjustable as to width and adjustable and detachably connected with the end pieces.

2. A concrete block machine comprising end pieces provided with openings and side pieces adjustable as to width and provided with tongues to engage said openings.

3. A concrete block machine comprising end pieces each provided at one edge with two openings and at the other edge with four openings, and side pieces each formed of two parts adjustably connected together and each part provided with two tongues for connecting with said openings.

4. A concrete block machine comprising provided at one edge with two openings and at the other edge with four openings, and side pieces each formed in two parts and each part provided with two notched tongues to engage said openings.

5. A concrete block machine comprising two end pieces each provided with two openings atone edge and with four openings at the other edge, two of the openings at said other edge corresponding in location with the two first mentioned openings, and the other two openings being arend pieces each ranged symmetrically between the other openings, and side pieces having tongues adapted to engage the Iii-sementioued openings and with tongues adapted to engage in any of the said other openings and means for ad usting the width between the tongues on the opposite edges of each side piece.

6. A concrete block machine comprising end pieces having openings therein, side pieces each formed of two sec tions, each of said sections being provided at its ends with tongues to engage said openings, and means for adjustably connecting the sections of the side pieces respectively together.

T. A concrete block machine comprising end pieces having openings therein. side pieces detachably connected therewith by tongues on said pieces engaging said openings, and a partition detachably connected with said side pieces.

8. A concrete block machine comprising end pieces having openings therein. side pieces each comprising two parts,onc being slotted, bolts for the unslotted part of said side pieces extending through the slots respectively, notched tongues at the ends of the parts of said side pieces to engage said opening and thumb nuts on said bolts for adjusting the side pieces as to width.

9. A concrete block machine comprising end pieces having openings, side pieces formed in two parts and having tongues for said openings, and means for adjust-ably con necting the parts of the side pieces respectively.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles California this 8th day of October 1906.

' JACOB n. s'rnnn'r.

In presence of- JAMES it. TowNsnNn, M. BEULAII TOWNSEND. 

